Management
• Manage content development to project timeline.
• Manage projects in FunctionFox.
• Work closely with client account managers to complete projects on time and within scope.
• Direct graphic designers to create designs for content.
• Identify new opportunities to retain and grow client accounts.

Marketer, Innovative Computing Systems — June 2015 to August 2018

Innovative is a legal information technology integrator and managed services provider with a national presence. In my role as sole marketer, I’m responsible for all aspects of marketing.

Digital/Social/Print
• Responsible for directing, managing, planning and creating all marketing and brand media/collateral: digital, social and print.
• Work with outside print and digital designers to provide strategy, creative direction, project management, budgeting, invoicing and fulfillment on projects like print brochures, postcards, print ads, event booth materials, infographics, digital ads, websites and digital downloadables.
• Work with outside software developers to provide direction, project management, budgeting, invoicing and fulfillment on projects like site refreshes and back-end site updates.
• Strategize, forecast and plan media/collateral needs for the year in collaboration with executive sales team.
• Monitor and maintain website to ensure it is both fresh and sticky, including writing new content, creating new pages and planning for and executing site redesigns.
• Create content for and promote webinars on topics of interest to legal and other industries, as well as conduct them.
• Create presentations on topics of interest to the legal IT community for presentation to various related associations.
• Manage, optimize, analyze and create content for social media accounts including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn. Also responsible for ensuring timely user engagement on these platforms.
• Created company’s Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube pages.

Analytics
• Analyze social, email, and other digital ad campaigns in order to maximize effectiveness and ROI using a variety of tools, including HubSpot and Google Analytics.
• On a daily basis, monitor website metrics to determine how to improve conversion rates, time-on-site, encourage users further down the sales funnel and increase the amount of content users download from our site.
• Generate reports to present to executive leadership on the success of marketing efforts.

Public Relations
• Manage public relations and communication for Innovative.
• Ideate and write press releases.
• Initiate and grow relationships with editors at publications in the legal IT and cybersecurity industries.
• Develop ideas and pitch them to editors.
• Distribute press releases through various PR channels and Innovative website.

Tradeshows & Conferences
• Plan for Innovative presence at various trade shows and conferences held throughout the year.
• Coordinate with conference/sponsors regarding dates, budget, booth, attendees and setup.
• Work with outside designers to provide strategy, creative direction, project management, budgeting, invoicing and fulfillment on any digital or print media/collateral that may be necessary.
• Ensure that all trade show/conference items are shipped to the location and returned to home offices, all attendees have flights, accommodations and know their schedules.
• Attend trade shows/conferences as a representative of the Innovative brand, talk with current and prospective clients about our services, build relationships and gather leads.

Writing & Editing
• Primary writer and editor for Innovative.
• Write case studies, white papers, articles, blog posts, emails (monthly newsletter, alerts, inbound marketing), as well as all copy for any print, digital, social media or other collateral.
• Write and distribute press releases.
• Copyedit anything that is written before it is published by Innovative.
• Persuade engineers to write blog posts.

Content Strategist, Somnio Solutions — August 2014 to February 2015

Somnio is a B2B digital marketing agency that provides marketing strategy, creative services, and social media for Fortune 100 companies.

• Worked in a consulting capacity for primarily technology clients, including IBM, HP, Dell, EMC².
• Conducted research for every project, including SME and stakeholder interviews.
• Led concepting for strategy based on client desires, business goals and user needs discovered through research.
• Led planning, production, delivery and management of content strategy.
• Collaborated and coordinated on continuous basis with User Experience, Project Management and Engineering.
• Created deliverables including content inventories and audits, gap analyses and content models.
• Produced digital content for websites, ads, presentations, interactive infographics, surveys, quizzes and videos (including script-writing).
• Consistently delivered under compressed timelines and within budget.

Principal, Pate Consulting — August 2006 to June 2015

Since graduating from college, I’ve run my own consulting business working with a variety of clients in corporate, nonprofit, and political sectors. My areas of expertise are in marketing, PR, social media, content strategy and curation, writing, research and public policy. These are a few of my longer engagements.

Feature Writer, Blogger
Terra Education, Inc. (2015 – 2016)Terra Education is an educational travel agency that creates Global Leadership Adventures programs for students to volunteer and learn internationally.
• Wrote feature articles and blog posts for The Young Leader (theyoungleader.experiencegla.com).
• Researched assignments on variety of topics from food to surfing to college essays.

Business Manager
Booda Studio, LLC (2013 – 2015)Booda Studio was my wife’s user experience design and strategy business, which she started mid-2012. I joined her to work on the business management side while she handled the creative side.
• Helped design business, including setting up financial systems, hiring employees and putting processes into place.
• Managed financials, accounting, payroll, and taxes using QuickBooks Pro.
• Sourced and cultivated vendor relationships for print and visual design, as well as software development.
• Worked with very large clients on contracts and invoicing, including UPS, JCPenney, CapOne, Sapient, Razorfish.

Writer, Editor, Researcher
Bravarro Public Affairs (2012 – 2015)Bravarro is a public affairs firm that focuses on legislative affairs and public policy.
• Conducted primary and secondary research on a wide range of public policy issues within the healthcare, environment and insurance sectors.
• Crafted simple and direct messaging strategy from very complex policy and legislation.
• Developed white papers, reports, press releases and media kits for distribution to clients, stakeholders, media, legislators and their staffers.

Social Media Manager, Feature Writer
Texas CEO Magazine (2011 – 2017)Texas CEO is a print and digital magazine that produces content and speaker series targeted to C-level executives in Texas.• Wrote feature stories, blog posts and other content for print and digital editions.
• Pitched story ideas and collaborated on issue themes with publisher.
• Coordinated with contributing writers.
• Curated, edited and distributed weekly email newsletter via myEmma.
• Managed and implemented brand awareness through social media platforms and partners
• Developed unique social media strategies in collaboration with publishers.
• Managed daily creation of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn content using HootSuite Pro.
• Created Facebook and LinkedIn presence.
• Ensured timely user engagement on these platforms.
• Analyzed efforts in order to maximize effectiveness and user engagement using HootSuite Pro and Facebook Analytics.
• In addition to CEO, developed a database of additional Texas business content sources.

Legislative Research Fellow, Communications, Marketing & PR
Texas Freedom Network (2002 – 2013)Texas Freedom Network is a nonpartisan think tank and advocacy organization that supports research and civic education to promote individual liberties and public education in Texas.Communications, Marketing & PR
• Published TFN Daily News Clips email newsletter, which reached over 7,000 subscribers.
• In addition to content created by TFN, created a database of content sources used on a daily basis.
• Selected, curated and wrote summaries of content to be included in newsletter published daily using Convio.
• Analyzed efforts in order to maximize effectiveness and user engagement using Convio.
• Wrote and uploaded new content daily for website in collaboration with Communications Director.
• Researched, wrote and edited large-scale reports, press releases, newsletters and white papers.
• Managed creative direction of organization’s first blog, TFN Insider (www.tfninsider.org)
• Directed visual and interaction design.
• Created content strategy and wrote content.
• Assisted in setting up SEO and analytics.

Legislative Research Fellow
• Lead researcher and editor for small-to-large research projects.
• Distributed reports to public, press and legislators to further TFN’s advocacy goals.
• Monitored Texas Legislature and Texas State Board of Education activity by attending meetings and using legislation tracking software to keep TFN informed of potential policy changes.
• Conducted and analyzed opposition research on groups and individuals opposed to TFN’s mission.

The LSG is a caucus in the Texas House of Representatives that is dedicated to advancing good public policy that benefits Texas families. Rep. Garnet Coleman is a longtime state representative from Houston.

• Areas of Policy Expertise: Education, Higher Education, Defense and Security. (Knowledge of other areas as well.)
• Tracked, researched and analyzed proposed legislation.
• Wrote bill analyses and evaluations on extremely compressed timelines.
• Consulted with legislators and legislative staff on proposed legislation.
• Identified flaws and suggested areas for improvement in legislation.
• Wrote and edited white papers, talking points, bill analyses, newsletter articles and fact sheets on specific policy proposals.
• Identified, developed and published news stories for weekly news email sent to legislators, staff and supporters via ConstantContact.
• Helped form strategy for advancing policy and organizational goals.
• Supervised and mentored eight policy analysts in the drafting of bill analyses and evaluations
• Developed, directed and wrote Web content and update Web site daily.
• Served as staff member in Rep. Garnet F. Coleman’s office during interim.

Campaign Manager, Ray McMurrey for U.S. Senate —2007 to 2008

Ray McMurrey was a schoolteacher from Corpus Christi who ran for a U.S. Senate seat in Texas. While we came in third, it positioned him to win his next local election.

• Served as point person for media, strategy, fundraising, outreach and policy development.
• Built relationships with journalists, community groups and voters to promote campaign.
• Created and maintained database of press and community contacts.
• Secured and organized debate between candidate and main primary challenger.
• Scheduled and participated in interviews and public events.
• Ensured candidate maintained schedule and talking points.
• Wrote press releases, policy statements, media advisories, blog posts and other content for campaign Web site.
• In consultation with candidate, developed and deployed campaign strategy.
• Fostered awareness and increased profile of candidate on statewide level.